RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues
OWNED IN: 56% Yahoo
ANALYSIS: At first blush, it may seem strange to recommend a guy with a 5.52 ERA who just returned from the disabled list as an add in all formats. But with approximately three million pitchers injured right now, the wire is pretty thin these days. In any case, there's plenty to like about Sean Manaea. Let's start with the fact that only five starters in MLB have a higher swinging strike rate, while only three starters have induced a higher rate of ground balls. The former has allowed Manaea to record 34 strikeouts in his 29 innings of work, while the latter has led to a dramatic drop in home run rate from his rookie season. Alas, the third of the true outcomes has been less kind, as the 25-year-old has issued 17 free passes, with 10 of them coming in two starts. Still, the ERA would look better if not for a comically low 53.8% strand rate.
At this point in the season, the samples are still pretty small even for players who haven't missed time. But strikeout and ground ball rates are among the first stats to stabilize for pitchers, and guys who can induce a high volume of whiffs and worm-burners tend to be successful. Manaea is owned in the majority of leagues; if yours isn't one of them, fix that.
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